Befitting reply
Abdulateef Al-Mulhim’s rejoinder to Swedish Defense Minister Karin Enstrom helped me understand what exactly she had stated and I found her statement about Saudi Arabia totally outlandish or rather childish. First of all, there was absolutely no need for her to indulge in such utterances which were not warranted from any perspective.
Secondly, she should know that there are different types and forms of governance and each of them is suitable in accordance with social, religious and cultural backgrounds. The method of governance and institutions under each system evolve according to the changing times and there is no point to stereotype any of them. I wish the minister understood that democracy is not a universal panacea even if it had been adopted by the majority of the countries. Although, it is easier for an ordinary man sitting on the other side of the fence to pick one or two issues and attempt to tarnish the image or portray the whole country in a color that he feels right and appropriate; however, for a person holding a minister rank, it was recklessly absurd to indulge in such an outrageous slander. Though the rejoinder reflected a bit of natural patriotism, but the writer was very prudent in presenting the defenses and questioning the wisdom of the minister in making very biased statements about Saudi Arabia without carefully studying the current issues and situation from different angles.
Political and economic stability is the prerequisite for overall development and progress and the present regime under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has wisely steered the country during the difficult times where there has been so much of disturbance and instability in the entire Arab region and not to say their unflinching efforts in protecting the Kingdom from the clutches of the terrorists. As the writer has said, there are areas in which reforms are needed and are being carried through. For instance, the issue of corruption and bribery is being tackled at all levels and this will certainly bear fruits.
As far as freedom of speech is concerned, there has been a remarkable progress in the recent times and we have seen a couple of days ago, Prince Salman welcoming criticism by the citizens over any issue related to governance. — Safi H. Jannaty, Hyderabad
Mumbai violence
The protest march being planned by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to demand the resignation of Home Minister R.R. Patil and Arup Patnaik, the police commissioner of Mumbai is totally unwarranted and smacks of divisive intentions. MNS and its chief, Raj Thackeray, are alleging that the police failed to control the Mumbai riot. One concedes that there might have been some lapses on the part of police in intelligence gathering, and the handling of the situation as such. But overall Patnaik did a remarkable job by talking directly to people from podium, asking them to be peaceful which was very effective in controlling the violence. Police did exercise good restraint and controlled the situation in half an hour. This is praiseworthy in itself. The death of two persons and the injury too many is regrettable, and should be duly compensated. Given the past record of inept handling of such situations, this was one instance where the riot control was very effective. We, the citizens, should appreciate this humane and effective handling of riot and hope that unnecessary revenge will not be taken against those who were not involved in the violence. The guilty must be punished and citizens need to stand with the officers like Patnaik to ensure that such episodes don’t get repeated. — Ram Puniyani, Mumbai
Malnourished children
We have learned from the media that British Prime Minister David Cameron recently urged international action to tackle malnutrition across the globe. Taking advantage of the large number of foreign officials gathered in London for the Olympic Games, Cameron called on world powers to save 25 million children from stunted growth over the next four years. However, noted Olympians including world famous athletes have signed an open letter urging Cameron to fire the starting gun on the biggest ever push against hunger and malnutrition. Even if malnourished children are able to fight off sickness and infection in their earliest years, their bodies and minds never fully develop. — Naser Mullah, Riyadh
Letters: Befitting reply
